I am but a humble traveler, blessed beyond what I could ever ask for.

Wednesday Sightings: Turkish Sprite, Thai Sprite

Great brands have such strong identities and recall, that end users associate colors and images, sometimes even shapes with them. Global brands like Apple, McDonald’s and Coca Cola are a few examples. No matter where you are in the world, you would instantly recognize products, advertising and all things associated with these companies.

Taking it a step further, what makes a global brand great? Meeting their customers where they are, speaking their language, adapting their customs and tastes to company practices. McDonald’s, for example, serves fried chicken and rice with gravy in the Philippines to compete with strong Filipino fast food chain Jollibee and meet the Filipino taste. In Australia, you would find vegemite on its breakfast menu; and a McVeggie is served in India.

During my own travels, I have seen Sprite packaging tailored according to the country, but the brand has strong recognizability that you know immediately it’s the same drink.

Thai Sprite.

In my job we went through a branding exercise. Having been a part of a team that defined a company’s brand was challenging, but continuously working on shaping it is even more important.

Coca Cola light, substitute for diet in Capri, Italy.

One thing I have noticed about sodas around the world is that for individuals in the US who are used to seeing the diet kind, in Europe and Asia diet is not available. They would offer you the alternatives, which are light or zero (now also available, but less popular, in the US).